Sources say GM has closed-door meeting with upper management and is considering leaving team

MATT MAIOCCO

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | March 18, 2010

Scot McCloughan is considering stepping down as 49ers general manager, sources told The Press Democrat this evening.

The shocking development to the organization's top football executive takes place just five weeks before the NFL draft, in which the 49ers own two first-round picks. The reasons McCloughan is contemplating resigning were not immediately known.

McCloughan did not return numerous phone and text messages seeking comment. Team owner John York and president/CEO Jed York were also alerted over a period of nearly three hours and given ample opportunity to comment for this report.

McCloughan met Wednesday behind closed doors with the 49ers' upper management at the 49ers' team offices in Santa Clara, sources said. The group included Jed York, executive vice president of football and business operations Paraag Marathe, vice president of football affairs Keena Turner, and Michael Rossi, a retired vice chair of BankAmerica Corp., who works as a senior advisor to the 49ers.

McCloughan left the 49ers' team offices after the meeting and files were relocated from his office this afternoon.

John York, who was in London the past several days with a contingent of 49ers employees in preparation of the regular-season trip there this season, flew back directly to the Bay Area today. He was originally scheduled to fly from London to his home in Youngstown, Ohio, a source said.

McCloughan was promoted to 49ers general manager in 2008 after serving the previous three years as the team's vice president of player personnel. McCloughan came to the 49ers after the organization hired Mike Nolan as coach in 2005.

It was not immediately known how the 49ers plan to move forward through the draft if McCloughan steps down. Coach Mike Singletary has taken an active role in the scouting and background checks of draft-eligible players this year. Trent Baalke is the 49ers' director of player personnel. Tom Gamble is the 49ers' director of pro personnel. And David McCloughan, Scot's brother, is the director of college scouting.